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Fong Lam | all galleries >> Galleries >> Potpourri > The Vanishing Payphone
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13-Nov-2014 Fong Lam

The Vanishing Payphone

This photo, taken some years back, captures a small slice of the past —
an elderly lady using the coin phone, with her trolley beside her,
perhaps making a quick call after marketing. It feels honest and
touching, a reminder of a slower time when public phones were
still part of daily life, especially for the older generation.



FujiFilm X10
1/75s f/4.5 at 9.3mm iso400 full exif

other sizes: small medium large original auto
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Julie Oldfield08-Jul-2026 23:20
A sight no longer seen. The variety of phones is interesting. Her expression tells a story. V
FrankB08-Jul-2026 22:13
I haven't used a payphone since the 2000's up in Long Lake on our fishing trips. Long Lake was one of the last areas without cell service. Nice piece of nostalgia, V
janescottcumming08-Jul-2026 22:12
Wow, you don’t see that anymore! Really takes one back in time. V
Ronny08-Jul-2026 21:39
Sometimes I long for those times when everything was simple and straightforward, a nice find in the probably very large archive.

Usually we had to gather coins together then........
VVV
Allan Jay08-Jul-2026 19:30
Exceptional image!
Transporting the viewer
with your imagery. VVV
Alain Boussac08-Jul-2026 16:04
In France, the last phone booths - which were smart card and already more coin-based - disappeared at the end of 2017. It was dramatic for the elderly and the homeless...
The profusion of coin-operated phones in this image is really remarkable and the presence of the elderly person testifies superbly to this era... so close though. Excellent, Fong.V.
Nestor Derkach08-Jul-2026 15:54
Amazing how time have changed we still see pay phones but have to search for one if you need one cell phones win AI is next give it time.
Vote
Marcia Rules08-Jul-2026 15:54
You have transported us all back to the 80s! VVV~
Ellen Michaels08-Jul-2026 15:06
Perfect composition of a wonderfully nostalgic scene. V
Helen Betts08-Jul-2026 11:34
Very nostalgic shot of days gone by. Much nicer than seeing everybody on their cell phone! V.
francoisconstantin08-Jul-2026 11:32
Great composition, love that scene!! V
Dan Opdal08-Jul-2026 06:28
Great find and great shot, Fong! Very nicely done. V
Ton, Ben & Rob Nagtegaal08-Jul-2026 05:34
Beautiful candid shot of this lady making a phone call. V
jtocaciu08-Jul-2026 05:32
A nostalgic image, picture witness of our past, perhaps better times in many countries. Singapore was a dynamic, modern country then, high-powered and modern today. VVVVV+